How do Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infected cells disrupt the immune system and thereby play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS)?

28 March 2017

There are numerous lines of evidence indicating that there is a link between EBV infection and MS. In a marmoset monkey model for MS an infection with the `monkey-EBV` has also been shown to activate immune cells to attack the own body. Researchers at the BPRC have investigated how this (unwanted) activation can take place.

They found that cells infected with EBV have a profound impact on signals that activate T cells of the immune system to attack the body. Also in other autoimmune diseases, the body is attacked by a dysfunctional immune system. Since the EBV can cause/enhance this attack, it is important to further investigate this process. This work was published in the journal Clinical & Translational Immunology (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5311918/).